Splicing device



Nov. 3, 1964 K POPE 3,155,562

SPLICING DEVICE Filed March 22, 1963 .6?

@IQL 46 I I 8 I -'1 r":

MAJ/[5 sYga/lim 6% d4 gm ATTO/P/VfYS United States Patent 3,155,562 SPLICING DEVICE .l'ames K. Pope, Mount Clemens, Mich., assignor to Ford Motor Company, Dearbo-rn, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 267,172 4 Claims. (Cl. 156-504) This invention relates to apparatus for splicing separate pieces of web material so as to form one continuous moving strip of sheet stock.

In particular, this invention relates to feed and splicing apparatus for use in operations wherein a continuous supply of web material is needed and wherein it is desirable to have the material fed at a constant and uniform rate to the point of its treatment or use while the splicing operation is being carried out.

More particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for automatically splicing one end of a first web segment bearing adhesive material, e.g., a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, to a second web segment.

The term web material is herein used in a broad sense and is intended to include organic and inorganic material in sheet, strip, or ribbondike form. An illustrative but not exhaustive list of materials suitable for splicing in accordance with this invention includes paper, felt, rubber, fabric, plastic, metal, and metal-coated organic materials.

A variety of methods and machines have been proposed for automatically splicing a new roll of web material to the end of an exhausted roll by means of pressure-sensitive tape. In general, the splicing steps in such operations have required initiation by a machine operator or have included some type of automatic sensing device to determine the time for splicing and to actuate electrohydraulic or mechanical devices which then carry out the actual splicing.

One object of this invention is to provide a simplified method and apparatus for replacing an exhausted supply of web material in a continuous web feeding operation with a fresh supply of the same without interrupting the feed.

it is another object to provide a semi-automatic web splicing device of relatively simple construction requiring very little maintenance.

Other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic plan view of a web feeding apparatus in which one embodiment of the splicing mechanism of this invention is incorporated;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 with certain parts removed to better illustrate the splicing mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a partial view to larger scale of the splicing mechanism as shown in FIGURE 2 but showing the ends of two web segments immediately prior to splicing;

FIGURE 4- is a partial end view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of an overlapping splice between two web segments and a pressure-sensitive tape made with apparatus corresponding to that shown in FIGURES l4 inclusive; and

FIGURE 6 is a side view of an abutting splice made with apparatus corresponding to that shown in FIGURES 1-4 inclusive.

Referring now to FIGURES l4 inclusive there are shown two web reels l1 and 12 releasably mounted on spindles l3 and 14 projecting from and supported by Patented Nov. 3, 1964 rotatable support members or turntables 15 and 16 respectively. As indicated web 20, in this embodiment, a smooth polyester film 0.5 inch wide and 0.009 inch thick, is being drawn from reel 12 in contact with alignment roll 22, through a splicing mechanism generally indicated by numeral 23, over idling roll 25, under idling roll 27, and between nip or pay-out rolls 29 and 3]. from whence such web is dispensed for use or treatment. Rolls 21, 2 5, 27, 29, and 31 are rotatably mounted upon a frame-like element or machine, not shown. Such element or machine may be independent of the further use or processing of the web material, or, in the alternative, may constitute a portion or extension of a machine to which the web is fed by the apparatus shown in the drawings.

Rolls 29 and 31 are driven by suitable power means, not shown, as for instanm, by conventional belt and pulley connections with a motor-driven shaft. In this embodiment rolls 29 and 31 constitute the sole means for moving the web material through the apparatus shown.

Referring now to supply reel 11 there is shown a web 19 leaving the reel, passing in contact with alignment roll 21, thence over web 20, contacting the splicing mechanism and terminating slightly beyond the point of such contact.

Reels 11 and I2 and alignment rolls 21 and 22 are constructed and arranged to admit webmaterial drawn from either of the supply reels to the splicing mechanism for threading in a manner such that a major side of the web, as contrasted to an edge, lies flat in relation to the web track. These same supply reels and alignment rolls are also constructed and arranged in a manner such that web material issuing from either supply reel and ready for pay out can be positioned between the web track and the web next awaiting pay out. In the preferred embodiment this means that the web from either reel can be threaded into the splicing mechanism above the web next to be used. This may be accomplished by allowing one web to cross over the web being payed out and through positioning of the respective reels.

Referring now specifically to splicing mechanism 23 there are shown a base member or platen 42, adjustable guide members 44 and 46, guide support members 48 and 52, vertical support member 54, hearing 56, horizontal support member 58, \an L-shaped rod 62 having an upper arm 64 and a lower arm 66, an adjustable weight member 68 and a splicer head 72.

Base member 42, guide support members 4% and 52, and vertical support member 54 are in turn supported by the frame-like element or machine previously mentioned but not shown in the drawings.

The upper surface of base member 42 constitutes a portion of the web track or path along which web material moves through the apparatus from supply reels l1 and 12 to nip rolls 29 and 31.

Adjustable guide members 44 and 46 are adapted for movement in relation to the web track as, for example, when the width of the web is changed, and can be fixed in place once the necessary adjustments are completed.

' Bearing 56 is mounted within and supported by ver tical support member 54. Horizontal support member 58 extends through and is rotatable within bearing 56. Rod 62 is fixedly secured to horizontal support 58.

Splicer head 72 is fixedly secured to lower arm 66 of rod 62 and preferably is constructed and arranged to contact the full width of the web material passing between itself and base member 42. It is within the scope of this invention to alternately use a variety of splicer heads varying in size and composition to accommodate changes in the web material being passed through the apparatus. It is preferable to employ a splicer head the surface of which has a low frictional resistance to the web a,155,5ea

material being passed through the apparatus and in contact with the head. The combined drag upon the upper web in contact with the splicer head must be sufficient to overcome the pull of the lower web which is moving in contact with the upper web. This drag is supplied by both the splicer head and the reel upon which the major part of the web is wound.

Splicer head 72 may be formed of rubber, metal, plastic, or other suitable material. The term plastic throughout this specification is used in its well-understood broad meaning, and refers to an organic polymeric material, preferably thermoplastic, which may be fibrous in whole or in part, e.g., natural and synthetic rubbers, polyethylene, polyproplene, nylon or nylon type materials, polytetrafluoroethylene, etc.

The overlap of web material prior to splicing is shown in FIGURE 3 wherein the rear or trailing end of web 20 with pressure-sensitive tape 74 afiixed thereto is shown positioned below the front or threaded end of web 19 which in turn is shown positioned under splicer head 72. In FIGURE 5 there is shown an overlapping splice obtained in the device shown in FIGURES 1-4 between the front end of web 19 and the rear end of web 20. When supply reels 11 and 12 are wound with web material, a short piece of pressure-sensitive tape-is attached to one end of the web material and to the core of the reel. It is therefore necessary to surface the core of the reel with a material that will not peel and deactivate the adhesive when the tape is pulled from the reel.

For many purposes and with a variety of thin web materials a splice with a slight overlap will be satisfactory. Where an overlap will interfere with subsequent movement or use of the web, the overlap can be avoided by having a short portion of deactivated tape immediately following the trailing end of the web with this in turn followed by pressure-sensitive tape.

Thus, in FIGURE 6 there is shown an abutting splice of web 19 and web 29 utilizing tape 74 as in FIGURE 5 except that tape 74 has a front section 76 and a rear section 80 separated by a central section 78. Tape sections 76 and 80 each have an adhesive material upon their upper surface providing means for securing the respective webs to the tape while central section 78 has a smooth upper surface which will not adhere to Web 19 and will allow web 19 to slide over tape 74 for a distance sufficient to permit the forward end thereof to completely escape from atop web 20 before web 19 is stopped in its sliding movement by adhesion to rear section 80.

The operation of the above-described mechanism may now be understood as follows: When the apparatus is threaded with web material as shown in FIGURE 3 and the mechanism is actuated, web 20 is pulled from reel 12 by nip rolls 29 and 31 and passes under the free end of web 19 which is held in contact with web 20 by splicer head 72. Since splicer head 72 in operation is at all times in frictional engagement with one or the other of web 19 and web 2%) weight 68 is adjusted to provide the requisite splicing pressure through splicer head 72 while admitting of continuous high speed passage of the Web being payed out.

When all of web 20 has been withdrawn from reel 12, tape 74 is pulled free from reel 12 by rolls 29 and 31 and trails behind web 20 as the trailing end of the latter approaches the splicing position under splicer head 72.

When the trailing end of web '20 hearing tape 74 passes under the leading end of web 19 the force exerted on splicer head 72 by weight 68 forces web 19 into immediate contact with tape 74. Web 19 is thus brought toether with the adhesive side of tape 74 with suflicient force to elfect adhesion therebetween.

Thus, the weight exerted through splicer head 72 must be sufficient to create a splice having a sufficient binding force to cause web 19 to be pulled forward and payed out by rolls 29 and 31 in the same manner as the preceding web. There is not the slightest interruption in the supply of the web issuing from the apparatus to the machine utilizing the same or to whatever other use the same is intended.

After the splice a new spool of web material is placed on spindle 14. Splicer head 72 is lifted by applying pressure to upper arm 64 of rod 62 and thereby rotating rod 58 within bearing 56. The leading end of the new web is placed above web 19 and the splicer head is lowered into operating position resting upon the leading edge of the new web. The apparatus is then ready for the next flying-splice when reel 11 has been exhausted of web 19.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for splicing web material comprising web supply means for holding segments of web material, with drawal means for withdrawing web material from said supply means, guide means positioned between said withrawal means and said supply means defining a path for the passage of web material between said supply means and said withdrawal means, platen means on one side of said path, movable pressure means on the opposite side of said path constructed and arranged to rest upon said platen means, to exert a constant predetermined pressure in the direction of said platen means, and to be moved out of contact with said platen means for a distance sufficient to admit interposition of two superimposed web segments between said pressure means and said platen means, said supply means including a first reel means and a second reel means each adapted for releasably holding a web segment having a lead end for threading between said platen means and said pressure means and a rear end secured to and trailing a pressure-sensitive element for splicing said rear end to the lead end of another web segment, said pressure means including pressure adjustment means adapted to permit adjustment of the pressure exerted in the direction of said platen means by said pressure means to a pressure sufiicient to hold in place a first web segment in contact with said pressure means while a second web segment positioned between said first web segment and said platen means is drawn from said supply means by said withdrawal means, and to effect splicing of said first web segment with said second web segment upon withdrawal of said second web segment from contact with said first web segment by forcing said first web segment against said pressure-sensitive element with a force sufi cient to eifect said splicing.

2. Apparatus for splicing web material comprising web supply means for holding segments of web material, withdrawal means for withdrawing web material from said supply means, adjustable guide means positioned between said withdrawal means and said supply means defining a path for the passage of web material between said supply means and said withdrawal means, platen means below said path over which web material can slidingly move in passing from said supply means to said withdrawal means, movable pressure means above said path constructed and arranged to rest upon said platen means, to exert a constant predetermined pressure in the direction of said platen means, and to be moved out of contact with said platen means for a distance sufificient to admit interposition of two superimposed web segments between said pressure means and said platen means, said supply means including a first reel means and a second reel means each adapted for releasably holding a web segment having a lead end for threading between said platen means and said pressure means and a rear end secured to and trailing a pressure-sensitive element for splicing said rear end to the lead end of another web segment, said pressure means including pressure adjustment means adapted to adjust the pressure exerted in the direction of said platen means by said pressure means to a pressure sufficient to hold in place a first web segment in contact with said pressure means while a second Web segment positioned below said first web segment and in contact with said platen means is drawn from said supply means by said withdrawal means and to efiect splicing of said first web segment with said second web segment upon withdrawal of said second web segment from beneath said first web segment by forcing said first web segment against said pressure-sensitive element with a force sufiicient to eliect said splicing.

3. Apparatus for splicing web material comprising web supply means for holding segments of web material, rotary means for withdrawing web material from said supply means, adjustable guide means positioned between said rotary means and said supply means defining a path for the passage of web material between said supply means and said rotary means, platen means below said path adapted to support web material passing from said supply means to said rotary means, rotatable pressure means above said path constructed and arranged to rest upon said platen means, to exert a constant predetermined pressure in the direction of said platen means, and to be rotated out of contact with said platen means for a distance suflicient to admit interposition of two superimposed web segments between said pressure means and said platen means, said supply means including a first reel means and a second reel means each adapted for releasably holding a web segment having a lead end for threading between said platen means and said pressure means and a rear end which includes a trailing pressure-sensitive element for splicing said rear end to the lead end of another web segment, said pressure means including adjustable weight means adapted to permit adjustment of the pressure exerted in the direction of said platen means by said pressure means to a pressure sufficient to hold in place a first web segment in contact with said pressure means while a second web segment positioned between said first web segment and said platen means is drawn from said supply means by said rotary means, and to effect splicing of said first web segment with said second web segment upon withdrawal of said second web segment from under said first web segment by forcing said first web segment against said pressuresensitive element with a force sufiicient to effect said splicing.

4. Apparatus for splicing plastic ribon material comprising ribbon supply means for holding segments of plastic ribbon, rotary means for withdrawing ribbon material from said supply means, adjustable guide means positioned between said rotary means and said supply means defining a path for the passage of ribbon material between said supply means and said rotary means, platen means on one side of said path, pivotable pressure means on the opposite side of said path constructed and arranged to rest upon said platen means, to exert a constant predetermined pressure in the direction of said platen means, and to be moved out of contact with said platen means for a distance suflicient to admit interposition of two superimposed ribbon segments between said pressure means and said platen means, said supply means including a first reel means and a second reel means each adapted for releasably holding a ribbon segment having a lead end for threading between said platen means and said pressure means and a rear end which includes a trailing pressure-sensitive element for splicing said rear end to the lead end of another ribbon segment, said pressure means including pressure adjustment means constructed and arranged .to permit adjustment of the pressure exerted in the direction of said platen means by said pressure means to a pressure sufficient to hold in place a first ribbon segment in contact with said pressure means while a second ribbon segment positioned between said first ribbon segment and said platen means is drawn from said supply means by said rotary means, and to effect splicing of said first ribbon segment with said second ribbon segment upon withdrawal of said second ribbon segment from contact with said first ribbon segment by said pressure means forcing said first ribbon segment against said pressure-sensitive element with a force suificient to effect said splicing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,772,055 Klingelfuss Nov. 27, 1956 2,940,507 Butler June 14, 1960 3,003,542 Butler Oct. 10, 1961 

1. APPARATUS FOR SPLICING WEB MATERIAL COMPRISING WEB SUPPLY MEANS FOR HOLDING SEGMENTS OF WEB MATERIAL, WITHDRAWAL MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING WEB MATERIAL FROM SAID SUPPLY MEANS, GUIDE MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID WITHDRAWAL MEANS AND SAID SUPPLY MEANS DEFINING A PATH FOR THE PASSAGE OF WEB MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID SUPPLY MEANS AND SAID WITHDRAWAL MEANS, PLATEN MEANS ON ONE SIDE OF SAID PATH, MOVABLE PRESSURE MEANS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID PATH CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO REST UPON SAID PLATEN MEANS, TO EXERT A CONSTANT PREDETERMINED PRESSURE IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID PLATEN MEANS, AND TO BE MOVED OUT OF CONTACT WITH SAID PLATEN MEANS FOR A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO ADMIT INTERPOSITION OF TWO SUPERMPOSED WEB SEGMENTS BETWEEN SAID PRESSURE MEANS AND SAID PLATEN MEANS, SAID SUPPLY MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST REEL MEANS AND A SECOND REEL MEANS EACH ADAPTED FOR RELEASBLY HOLDING A WEB SEGMENT HAVING A LEAD END FOR THREADING BETWEEN SAID PLATEN MEANS AND SAID PRESSURE MEANS AND A REAR END SECURED TO AND TRAILING A PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ELEMENT FOR SPLICING SAID REAR END TO THE LEAD END OF ANOTHER WEB SEGMENT, SAID PRESSURE MEANS INCLUDING PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT MEANS ADAPTED TO PERMIT ADJUSTMENT OF THE PRESSURE EXERTED IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID PLATEN MEANS BY SAID PRESSURE MEANS TO A PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO HOLD IN PLACE A FIRST WEB SEGMENT IN CONTACT WITH SAID PRESSURE MEANS WHILE A SECOND WEB SEGMENT POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID FIRST WEB SEGMENT AND SAID PLATEN MEANS IS DRAWN FROM SAID SUPPLY MEANS BY SAID WITHDRAWAL MEANS, AND TO EFFECT SPLICING OF SAID FIRST WEB SEGMENT WITH SAID SECOND WEB SEGMENT UPON WITHDRAWAL OF SAID SECOND WEB SEGMENT FROM CONTACT WITH SAID FIRST WEB SEGMENT BY FORCING SAID FIRST WEB SEGMENT AGAINST SAID PRESSURE-SENSTIVE ELEMENT WITH A FORCE SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT SAID SPLICING. 